Herman c



(No Model.)

H; 0. NIEMEYER.

FOLDING GOT BED.

No. 600,647. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

STATES AIENT TOFFFICE.

QFOLDING COT-BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 600,647, dated March 15, 1898.

Application filed July 8, 1897. Serial No. 643,832. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMAN G. NIEMEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wheatland, county of Yuba, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Folding Cot-Beds; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improved construction of cot-beds, whereby when extended they are given all the rigidity of a solid structure,but are capable of dismounting and folding into small compass for transportation.

It consists in certain details of construc-' tion, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is a portion of a plan. Fig. 4: is a view showing the bed folded. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the hinge. Fig. 6 shows the bed in a portable form. Fig. 7 is an end view of the same.

In my improved bed A A are side bars, which may be made of wood, metal, or any suitable or desired material of sufficient dimensions to have the necessary strength to support the weight which it is designed that they should carry. The bars A form the central portion of the bed.

A are extension-barsv hinged at each end to the ends ofA, so that they may be opened outwardly approximately in line with the bars A or folded inwardly to lie upon the bars A.

The ends of the bars A and the meeting ends of the bars A are slightly beveled, so that when the bars A are extended they stand at a slight angle above the line of the bars A, and this, particularly at the end which is designed for the head, enables the person to lie with more comfort.

The hinges O are made of essentially tri-' depth from the line of the hinge-pivots to the bottom of the bars is sufficient to form an abutting-surface which makes the extensions sufficiently rigid without any additional braces or supports.

Upon the bars A A are pivoted legs B, and for convenience one of the bolts which secures the hinge-plates C to the bars A may be extended through to the inside, thus forming the pivot, about which the legs may be folded inwardly to lie within the bars A. Thus when the bars A have been folded upon the top of A and the legs B folded within the bars A the cot is reduced to a convenient length to be subsequently rolled up for transportation.

G G are jointed brace-bars meeting and pivoted centrally and having their ends pivoted to the bars A and to the legs B, so that when extended they form braces to hold the legs rigidly and prevent any end-swaying movement of the cot. By breaking and folding the central joint of these braces the legs are allowed to fold inwardly, the braces being also folded with them out of the way.

In order to brace the legs sidewise, I have shown transverse brace-bars I I, the ends of which enter sockets formed on the inner sides of the legs B near the upper end. These brace-bars cross each other about the middle of the ends in the form of a flattened X, as shown, so that the upper end of one bracebar is connected with one of the legs B near the top and its lower end is correspondingly connected with the other leg nearer to the bottom.

J J are tightening-rods having loops J at the ends, which allow them to be slipped over the lower ends of the legs B, and by means of turnbuckles K or other similar tightening de vices the legs B are drawn toward each other, thus pressing strongly against the ends of the cross brace-bars I and binding the whole leg structure strongly together. The result of this is to produce a practically. unyielding frame consisting of the side bars A and canvas surface, the legs B, the braces I, and tightening-rods J, and this structure will support Without yielding almost any weight that is not sufficient to absolutely break the bars.

The canvas D is tacked along the side bars A and A and has a wide hem or folded-over portion at each end adapted to receive the end bars E. These bars are slipped through the folds in the canvas and have sockets upon their ends which fit over corresponding tenons on the ends of the bars A, so that by this means the canvas is extended longitudinally, and it is extended transversely by the action of the braces I and the tension devices J.

device K and removed from the legs.

When the bed is to be set up, the ends A are turned outwardly, the bars'E are inserted into the hems at the ends of the canvas and fitted over the tenons on the bars A, the legs are then unfolded, the brace-bars I I are put in place, and, lastly, the tension-rods J are placed on the legs and drawn together, binding the brace-bars as before described and also bringing a strong tension upon the canvas which forms the surface of the bed, so that the structure will support any reason able weight that may be placed upon it without yielding in any direction, even although the bed may be set upon an incline sidewise.

When the device is to be folded for transportation or other purpose, the tension-rods are first relaxed by unscrewing the tightening The legs are then allowed to spread and the bracebars I are removed. The brace-rods G are then bent inwardly and the legs folded inside the side bars A. The bars E being disengaged from the tenons upon the ends of A are withdrawn from the canvas and the bars A folded in upon the bars A. The bars E, tension-rods J, and brace-rods I are then laid upon the canvas and the whole is rolled up into a small bundle which is about three feet in length and six inches in diameter, thus making it convenient for transportation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folding bed, main side bars, extencoo, e47

sions hinged in line therewith adapted to fold and unfoldupon the main bars having the abutting ends beveled, a flexible covering secured along the edges of the main bars and extension-bars adapted to be detachably connected with the ends of the covering and having mortises upon their ends to fit correspondingtenons upon the ends of the extension side bars,legs pivoted beneath the ends of the main portion adapted to fold and unfold about their pivot-points, jointed brace-rods extending from the main side bars to'the legs whereby the latter are braced longitudinally, and braces between the legs at each end of the bed, and means for drawing the lower part of the legs together to produce a transverse tension on the'fiexible covering and lock the cross-bars in place.

2. In a folding cot, main side bars having hinged extensions at the ends and adapted to fold in line with said bars or unfold so as to stand. at upwardly-divergent angles therewith, a flexible covering fixed along the main and supplemental side bars and having removable end bars, folding brace-bars pivoted to the main side bars and to the legs intermediate between their upper and lower ends, braces extending between the legs at each end of the main side bars, and tension-rods having loops adapted to clasp the lower ends of the legs and a tightening device whereby the lower ends of the legs are drawn toward each other, a compressing strain brought upon the braces, and an expanding tension upon the flexible covering of the frame.

In vwitness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HERMAN C. NIEMEYER;

Witnesses:

WM. LUMBARD, (J. P. PANN. 

